“Our lakes are critical to the ecological and economic well-being of New Jersey, but they have been consistently underfunded by the State,” said Pennacchio (R-26). “This newly approved funding represents the most significant investment in Lake Hopatcong and Greenwood Lake in recent memory, if not ever. We’ll continue fighting to make this appropriation permanent to ensure our lakes get the support they need each and every year.”
The legislation, S-3618, makes a supplemental appropriation of $10 million for grants for certain lake management activities for recreation and conservation purposes.
The new law requires the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to develop a process for evaluating and ranking applications for grants, with priority given to projects improving water quality and increasing recreational access, including efforts to control nutrient levels in lakes to prevent harmful algal blooms.
This bill, as amended by the committee, makes a one-time supplemental appropriation of $10 million for Fiscal Year 2022 to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) from the General Fund. The bill directs the DEP to establish a program to use these funds for grants to assist qualified entities to pay certain costs associated with the management and maintenance of lakes for recreation and conservation purposes.
The bill requires the DEP to develop criteria for the evaluation and ranking of applications to provide priority to projects submitted by qualified entities responsible for a lake with public access; and projects to improve water quality and increase recreational access and use of lakes, including projects to control nutrient levels in lakes in order to prevent future harmful algal blooms.
The bill provides that a grant issued pursuant to the bill may be used for stormwater and nonpoint source pollution management activities if the DEP determines that those activities would directly enhance, improve, or protect the use of a lake for recreation and conservation purposes.
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